But as a Hammons Field crowd of 2,935 took in postgame fireworks, an already vibrant clubhouse was just about to soak in the night. Greg Garcia and Jamie Romak supplied solo home runs and — despite never hitting a home run this season in 523 plate appearances — Mike O’Neill popped a three-run shot in the seventh.

Only, there was one more surprise — La Russa, here in his role as an assistant to Commissioner Bud Selig.

“I was happy. … It’s great to have a Hall of Famer here, to speak to us, to have our back,” Martinez said through an interpreter, Jermaine Curtis. “It just motivated us for tomorrow.”

Said Garcia, “It kind of caught me off-guard. I kind of lost my breath for a second. A Hall of Fame manager walking into your clubhouse, that doesn’t happen every day in Springfield, Missouri.”

La Russa’s brief comments centered on the team keeping its focus, Romak said.

That may not be an issue, thanks to Martinez.

The right-hander, who turns 21 on Sept. 21, fired up everybody just a week after a muddled playoff debut in which the Tulsa Drillers struck him for six runs in four innings.

This time, he held a lineup that hit .311 its South Division sweep of 81-win Corpus Christi in check. Even after a leadoff single that opened the game. Even after a dicey situation in the third and even after a bases-loaded mess developed in the fourth inning.

With his sinker staying low in the zone and the right-hander working with catcher Travis Tartamella for a 14th consecutive start, Martinez generated 12 groundouts, struck out seven and walked only one.

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The sinker fed into three double plays, including in the fourth inning when Frisco seemed all but certain to tie or take the lead.

Outside of Frisco’s four hits, only one of the other 22 batters put a ball in play into the outfield. Plus, Texas Rangers All-Star catcher Mike Napoli, here to begin an injury rehab assignment, grounded out, struck out and got hit by a pitch in his three appearances against Martinez.

“Last week, I learned from it. (Tuesday) was the second time playing in the playoffs, so I was more calm,” Martinez said. “I tried to maintain my focus of working hard through the week and preparing for this game.”

Said Tartamella, “He was fun to catch.”

“We played a good game,” Frisco manager Steve Buechele said. “I think a game like tonight, there’s times you tip your cap to the other guy on the mound and tonight was one of those nights. I think even our hits, we didn’t square up anything hard until (Tommy) Mendonca’s double in the ninth.”

Buckel, who allowed only five earned runs in his past five starts (or 27 2/3 innings), pitched six-plus innings as he held Springfield to only four hits and a pair of solo home runs, to Garcia in the second inning and Romak leading off the seventh.

Garcia’s home run barely cleared the right field wall — and Jared Hoying’s glove — but it came one play after Romak got doubled off first base when Hoying ran down Adam Melker’s flare. Romak atoned with his shot into the left-field bullpen, pumping his right fist after rounding first.

Romak later joined teammates in bum-rushing O’Neill, batting ninth as the designated hitter. He is .563 (18-for-32) after joining the club on Aug. 17, but never had a home run.

“I wanted to save it for a special moment,” O’Neill quipped.

Another special moment soon arrived.

La Russa, who retired after the big-league Cardinals won their 11th World Series last October, apparently was sneaked into the ballpark during pre-game ceremonies. He watched from an undisclosed location and then hit the home clubhouse. He first greeted Springfield manager Mike Shildt, who reached his tucked-away office with La Russa sitting there, lights off.

“He’s in, my opinion, the best ever and even better human being,” Shildt said. “He’s been very helpful to me in a lot of ways.”